Welcome to Middle School Certification

Welcome to Middle Level Education. We prepare teachers for careers in grades five to nine in Missouri.  Our program is one of the few in the country that has classes in each of the focus and option areas. We have been recognized as “national exemplar” by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Program Overview

The purpose of our Middle Level Program is to prepare teacher education candidates to have the knowledge, dispositions and skills necessary to create learning communities for young adolescents that are academically challenging, developmentally responsive and socially equitable.

We believe:

• Middle level teachers need broad discipline knowledge in more than one discipline.

So, middle level candidates prepare in one focus area (English/Language arts education, Mathematics education, Social studies education and Science education) and one option area (the four areas above and Art education).  They have opportunities to intern in BOTH areas, as a part of a team.

• Middle level teachers need to understand how young adolescents develop.

So, we have a spiral curriculum that emphasizes adolescent development within courses.

• Middle level teachers need to know how middle schools work and teachers collaborate.

So, the final course is Teaching, Engaging, Assessing Middle School Students in which candidates learn more about middle level philosophy and practice teaming, assessing and planning curriculum for young adolescents.

• Middle level teachers need to know how to work with adolescents.

So, courses are arranged around problems of practice.  Field experiences are connected to each pedagogy course.  Candidates work in the field observing, working with individuals, small groups, and large groups for approximately 75 hours PRIOR to internship.

• Middle level teachers need to understand diversity and how to create socially equitable schools.

So, diversity weaves throughout classes and field experiences.  Candidates interact with a wide variety of students in a variety of schools.  

Dual Certification

• Allows you to teach in more than one subject area
• Gives you more marketability and greater mobility
• Requires a small amount of extra time, but increases your employment options